Zinc oxide particles, which have been used as a sunscreen ultraviolet blocking agent in cosmetic product applications, are ultrafine particles having an average particle diameter of 100 nm or less. However, such zinc oxide ultrafine particles for ultraviolet blocking deteriorate slippage, and are therefore hardly used for foundations. Therefore, plate-shaped particles such as those of talc, mica and barium sulfate are generally contained to provide slippage. However, these plate-shaped particles do not have an ultraviolet blocking effect, and therefore for imparting ultraviolet blocking performance, zinc oxide fine particles or titanium oxide fine particles in an amount small enough that slippage is not hindered, or an organic ultraviolet absorbing agent must be used in combination.
In addition, as a burr-like zinc oxide consisting of integrated needle-like particles, particles disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are publicly known. As an urchin-like zinc oxide particle consisting of integrated needle-like particles, particle disclosed in Patent Document 3 is publicly known. However, these zinc oxide particles consist of integrated needle-like particles not plate-like particles. In addition, a particle disclosed in Patent Document 4 is publicly known as aegagropila-shaped particles consisting of integrated plate-like particles. However, the particles have an uneven particle diameter, and the particle size distribution thereof is not sharp.
Further, spherical zinc oxides disclosed in Patent Documents 5 to 8 are publicly known. However, the particles are not spherical zinc oxide particles consisting of integrated plate-like particles. Zinc oxide particles of the present disclosure are spherical zinc oxide particles consisting of integrated plate-like particles having a good slippage, a superior soft focus effect (a so called effect of blurring a base), and an ultraviolet blocking property. In the conventional technique, zinc oxide particles having three performances of a good slippage, a superior soft focus effect, a superior ultraviolet blocking property equal to that of ultrafine zinc oxide particles have been previously unknown.